IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 160 

Welcoming the Seventh Summit of the Americas, to be held in Panama 

City, Panama, April 10, 2015, and April 11, 2015. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 19, 2015 

Mr. CASTRO of Texas (for himself and Mr. ENGEL) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Welcoming the Seventh Summit of the Americas, to be held 

in Panama City, Panama, April 10, 2015, and April 

11, 2015. 

Whereas the United States is inexorably linked with the people and countries in the Western Hemisphere by geography, culture, and economic interdependency; 

Whereas it is in the interest of the United States to support 

economic growth, prosperity, stability, security, and 

democratic governance throughout the Western Hemisphere; 

Whereas the countries in the region are important trading 

partners for the United States, and United States foreign 

direct investment in the Americas continues to grow; 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HRES 160 IH 

Whereas trade between the United States and the Western 

Hemisphere totaled $1.8 trillion in 2013, and resulted in 

a goods and services trade surplus of $12 billion; 

Whereas United States foreign direct investment in the hemisphere totaled $1.3 trillion in 2013, which was 12 percent higher than 2012; 

Whereas since 1998, trade between the United States and the 

Latin America and Caribbean region has grown at a faster rate than United States trade with Asia and the European Union; 

Whereas beginning with the First Summit of the Americas, 

held in Miami, Florida, in 1994, the Summits have 

served as important fora for heads of states in the Americas to discuss common policy issues, affirm shared values, and commit to work collaboratively to address enduring and new challenges in the hemisphere; 

Whereas the Seventh Summit of the Americas will be held in 

Panama City, Panama, April 10, 2015, and April 11, 

2015, with a theme of ‘‘Prosperity with Equity: The 

Challenge of Cooperation in the Americas’’, and heads of 

states have committed to take action in the areas of education, health, energy, environment, migration, security, 

citizen participation, and democratic governance at the 

Summit; and 

Whereas the Seventh Summit of the Americas will provide an 

open forum specifically for civil society representatives, 

and the United States has advocated for expanded opportunities for civil society groups to participate throughout 

the Summit process: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HRES 160 IH 

1 (1) welcomes the Seventh Summit of the Amer2 icas to be held in Panama City, Panama, April 10, 

3 2015, and April 11, 2015; 

4 (2) believes the Seventh Summit of the Amer5 icas will be an important multilateral forum for 

6 heads of state in the Western Hemisphere to discuss 

7 common policy issues, work collaboratively, and set 

8 achievable and measurable policy goals; 

9 (3) encourages all countries in the Western 

10 Hemisphere to commit to transparent democratic 

11 governance, free and open markets, and basic 

12 human rights and to uphold the principles enshrined 

13 in the Inter-American Democratic Charter; 

14 (4) believes the Seventh Summit of the Amer15 icas provides a forum for the United States to ad16 vance its interests in the region, including— 

17 (A) economic growth and opportunity; 

18 (B) energy security, reliability and diver19 sification; 

20 (C) strengthening effective institutions of 

21 democratic governance; 

22 (D) citizen security and social inclusion of 

23 underserved populations, including indigenous 

24 and Afro-descendent populations; and 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HRES 160 IH 

1 (E) combating threats from transnational 

2 criminal organizations, terrorist organizations 

3 and other organized criminal groups; and 

4 (5) urges heads of state to provide opportuni5 ties for all civil society organizations to meaningfully 

6 engage and provide input during events surrounding 

7 the Summit. 

Æ 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS